Muhlaysia Booker

Abounding Prosperity rounding up support for transgender assault victim

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

When assault victim Muhlaysia Booker is released from the hospital, she’ll have a safe place to live, thanks to Nicole’s House, an emergency transitional residence for transgender women in need.

Abounding Prosperity CEO Kirk Myers, center, prepares for a press conference with trans actvists. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)

At a press conference on Wednesday, April 17, Abounding Prosperity Inc. CEO Kirk Myers announced that Nicole’s House is opening ahead of schedule to accommodate Booker and another transgender woman who lived in the same apartment complex where Booker was assaulted by a group of several people, while a large crowd stood by and watched on April 12.

Myers, who has been in close contact with Booker, said Booker is recovering physically, although she’ll be in a cast for another six weeks. But he is worried about her mental state. Anyone going through transition faces tough challenges, Myers said, but Booker’s challenges have been magnified by the attack.

Booker was attacked in the parking lot of her apartment complex after accidentally backing into another car. She was held at gunpoint as the driver of the other car demanded payment for damage to his car. That driver then paid Edward Thomas, who was in the crowd that had gathered, $200 to attack Booker.

The attack was recorded by a bystander who posted the video online.

Thomas has been arrested and remains in the Dallas County Jail, with bond set at $75,000. Dallas police have tagged the assault as a hate crime and are still looking for others who participated in the attack. The FBI has stepped in to help with the investigation.

Before the press conference, representatives from Abounding Prosperity and members of the trans community met with Dallas police “to develop a plan forward.” Myers said he also contacted Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, who said he is waiting to receive the case from police.

A GoFundMe page started for Booker had raised more than $6,000 toward its $7,500 goal by press time.

Meyers said town halls and diversity training sessions with Dallas Police LGBT Liaison Officer Amber Roman have been scheduled across the city’s southern sector in the wake of the attack, and Abounding Prosperity is making sure Booker gets the community services she needs. That includes safe housing.

Nicole’s House is named for Nicole O’Hara in recognition of the work she, Marty’s Live and Leggy Lady Productions did to raise the money needed to get the project underway. The residence is designed to “provide foundational stability to trans women who are undergoing expected challenges in life.”

Abounding Prosperity will provide “a healthy and safe environment” at Nicole’s House and help its residents with education, workforce development and needed legal services. Myers said the five-bedroom home will house up to five people at a time.
Other speakers at the press conference said they were there to support Booker.

Mieko Hicks, a host of the Transfusion Radio Show, said her goal is to end confusion about transgender people and “the disconnect with the black community and their LGBT.”

She demanded the case be treated as a hate crime and said the attacker’s words — “We’re going to get these punks” — proves it was indeed a hate crime.

“We won’t stand by quietly as trans people are attacked,” Hicks declared.

She said Booker was attacked by a large group in the apartment complex, and arresting just one assailant wasn’t enough: “We want them all punished.”

One problem in prosecuting the case as a hate crime is the way the Texas James Byrd Hate Crime Law is written. The protected categories include race, religion and sexual orientation — but not gender identity. “We need inclusive laws,” demanded the Rev. Carmarion Anderson.

And Myers declared, “We’re going to mobilize like we haven’t done in the past” to get those laws passed.

That sentiment was echoed by one of his board members who said, “We’re not backing down.”

Mayor Mike Rawlings condemned the attack and issued this statement hours after video of the assault had been released:
“Chief Hall alerted me this morning to the assault at the Royal Crest Apartments and I have seen a video of what happened. I am extremely angry about what appears to be mob violence against this woman. I am in contact with the chief and she assured me that the Dallas Police Department is fully investigating, including the possibility that this was a hate crime. Those who did this do not represent how Dallasites feel about our thriving LGBTQ community. We will not stand for this kind of behavior.”

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A rally in support of hate crime victim Muhlaysia Booker will be held from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Abounding Prosperity Inc. headquarters, 2311 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall have been invited to attend.